How Do A Home Health Aide And CNA Differ?

When you receive care at home, it doesn’t mean settling on low-quality services is okay. Contrarily, it would help if you heightened the level of your pickiness since it’s about the patient’s health. And part of it is knowing the type of care provider to look for. This article will help you determine the difference between a home health aide and a Certified Nurse Assistant or CNA. 

What is a home health aide? 

It is a general term for professionals hired to support clients with daily activities, including other tasks promoting a healthy lifestyle. Some people interchangeably use it with mere home care. But the placing of “health” in the term makes a difference. 

Home care is about helping a client do essential everyday activities like bathing, changing clothes, eating, etc. Besides, an in-home care aide can also carry out laundry, light housekeeping, and errands. In a sense, they assist in staying healthy since their duty involves keeping good personal hygiene and cleanliness in the patient’s space. Additionally, in-home aides can take charge of medicine reminders, vital monitoring, and prescribed exercise. Beyond these, an in-home aide cannot do something that has to do with high-level medical matters.

On the other hand, home health aides are for care recipients with injuries, diseases, or disorders. They are licensed to administer care support for these cases. The Majority of US states mandate this, primarily if a home health aide will assist a patient needing medical attention. Likewise, if that’s the issue, it is practical for clients and patients to get care providers skilled in medical fields. It’s for their health and safety.

The distinction of CNAs 

If home health aide is a general term, CNAs or Certified Nurse Assistants is one specific type. CNAs are someone you call if the main priority is helping with medical procedures that can be done at home. Some examples are wound care, insulin administration, tube feeding, hospice care, etc. 

CNAs’ requirements are higher than other home health aides’ must-haves. It includes taking hours of general and clinical training programs. In terms of numbers, the required training hours for both vary depending on a state’s policy. Some make it 100 hours for the clinical side and 180 for the general type. Under federal law, it must be at least 16 hours for clinical and 75 hours for general training. 

CNAs’ main priority is support in the medical-related tasks rather than chores. Their duties also include coordinating with doctors and following nursing plans. On the other hand, they have higher fees because of the demand for their expertise. For example, a patient with dementia or seizure disorder always requires prompt proper nursing. 

Home health aides in Living Well Family Care 

Whether you need CNAs or an in-home aide for essential daily activities, Living Well Family Care can help you. The agency employs licensed and trained care providers ready to offer home health services in Carolinas. 

A trusted home health aide agency has a comprehensive hiring process that involves background checks. It also executes procedures to accomplish continuous quality service. Some of its methods are regular monitoring and guiding its home health aides.